Weighted analysis of stratified data entities in a database system

Abstract

A stratified or segmented composite data structure can be formed by selecting a group of data entities, stratifying or segmenting them according to attributes, and assigning relative weights to the components based on their stratified or segmented positions. The attributes are selected from a universe of possible values. Further positive and negative biases can be applied at any arbitrary point or position, including to individual data entities, groups of arbitrarily selected data entities, or arbitrary positions.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method implemented in a computer system for analyzing a database characterization of a stratified composite unit of elements of a functional system, the method comprising:
 generating and electronically storing a database system comprising a logical data model having a data structure representing an organization of parent nodes and child nodes for aggregating data entities and aggregating attributes of the data entities in a functional information system, the data entities representing elements of the functional system as a network of heterogeneous components, the data entities further corresponding to elements of the functional system ordered by their functional roles in a process converting inputs to outputs; 
 electronically storing the data entities in the database system, the data entities corresponding to elements of the functional system; 
 electronically assigning the data entity corresponding to an element one or more functional attributes, each of the attributes represented as an electronic tag, wherein the functional attributes characterize the roles of the elements in a process of converting inputs to outputs as represented in the logical data model; 
 selecting a first set of the data entities for inclusion in a stratified composite unit; 
 stratifying the first set of data entities into two or more groups based on the electronic tags representing the functional attributes associated with the corresponding elements, wherein the first group shares a first common functional attribute, and the second group shares a second common functional attribute; 
 electronically accessing the database representation of the stratified groups; 
 electronically iterating through the accessed representation to compute weights for one or more of the data entities based on one or more of the stratified groups; and 
 assigning the weights to one or more of the data entities included in the stratified composite unit, wherein the assigned weight is based on the relative location of the data entities in the logical data model and the weights are calculated such that the sum of weights of data entities in child nodes below a parent node equals the weight of the data entity of a parent node; 
 selecting a second set of the data entities, the selection based on input received from a user; 
 assigning weights to the second set of data entities according to a weighting scheme; 
 calculating differences between the weights of two or more of the first set of data entities in the stratified composite unit and the weights of two or more of the second set of data entities; and 
 electronically storing the calculated differences in the computer system. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second set of data entities and the first set of data entities correspond to the same elements of the functional system. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second set of data entities is not the same as the first set of data entities. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the weights assigned according to the specified weighting scheme are predetermined. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising making a recommendation for a composite based on the express or revealed preferences of a user of the database and the calculated differences. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 selecting one of the segmented groups of data entities which share a first common functional attribute; 
 segmenting the selected group of data entities into two or more sub-groups, wherein the sub-groups are subsets of the segmented groups; and 
 weighting the two or more segmented sub-groups; electronically storing the weightings in association with segmented groups; and wherein the data entities in a first sub-group share a third common functional attribute and the data entities in a second sub-group share a fourth common functional attribute. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , wherein one or more sub-groups are weighted based on functional attributes; and one or more sub-groups are weighted based on non-functional attributes. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 assigning an m-dimensional set of n-dimensional vectors to a set of data entities corresponding to elements of the functional system, wherein the n-dimensional vectors are assigned based on the functional attributes of the elements; 
 wherein the assignment of n-dimensional vectors re-organizes the groups based on their functional or non-functional attributes with respect to one or more variables within the functional system; selecting a variable to normalize with respect to the functional system; selecting a statistical property associated with normality; 
 using a statistical test to assess the relative normality of a set of segmented groups; 
 assigning a target weight to an m-dimensional set of n-dimensional vectors associated with data entities representing a segmented group; wherein the target weight modifies the divergence of the variable across n-dimensional space so as to ameliorate the normality of the segmented group, as determined by the statistical test; and 
 periodically rebalancing the data entity representing the segmented group to achieve the target weight. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of data entities is represented in graphical, sequential, clustered, or networked form. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising generating the data structure by electronically assigning functional locations in n-dimensional space to data entities associated with the elements, wherein the n dimensions are ordered based on the sequence of the set of input-output processes. 
     
     
       11. A system for analyzing a database characterization of a stratified composite unit of elements of a functional system, the system comprising a processor configured for:
 generating and electronically storing a database system comprising a logical data model having a data structure representing an organization of parent nodes and child nodes for aggregating data entities and aggregating attributes of the data entities in a functional information system, the data entities representing elements of the functional system as a network of heterogeneous components, the data entities further corresponding to elements of the functional system ordered by their functional roles in a process converting inputs to outputs; 
 electronically storing the data entities in the database system, the data entities corresponding to elements of the functional system; 
 electronically assigning the data entity corresponding to an element one or more functional attributes, each of the attributes represented as an electronic tag, wherein the functional attributes characterize the roles of the elements in a process of converting inputs to outputs as represented in the logical data model; 
 selecting a first set of the data entities for inclusion in a stratified composite unit; 
 stratifying the first set of data entities into two or more groups based on the electronic tags representing the functional attributes associated with the corresponding elements, wherein the first group shares a first common functional attribute, and the second group shares a second common functional attribute; 
 electronically accessing the database representation of the stratified groups; 
 electronically iterating through the accessed representation to compute weights for one or more of the data entities based on one or more of the stratified groups; and 
 assigning the weights to one or more of the data entities included in the stratified composite unit, wherein the assigned weight is based on the relative location of the data entities in the logical data model and the weights are calculated such that the sum of weights of data entities in child nodes below a parent node equals the weight of the data entity of a parent node; 
 selecting a second set of the data entities, the selection based on input received from a user; 
 assigning weights to the second set of data entities according to a weighting scheme; 
 calculating differences between the weights of two or more of the first set of data entities in the stratified composite unit and the weights of two or more of the second set of data entities; and 
 electronically storing the calculated differences in the computer system. 
 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the second set of data entities and the first set of data entities correspond to the same elements of the functional system. 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the second set of data entities is not the same as the first set of data entities. 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the weights assigned according to the specified weighting scheme are predetermined. 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 11 , further comprising making a recommendation for a composite based on the express or revealed preferences of a user of the database and the calculated differences. 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 selecting one of the segmented groups of data entities which share a first common functional attribute; 
 segmenting the selected group of data entities into two or more sub-groups, wherein the sub-groups are subsets of the segmented groups; and 
 weighting the two or more segmented sub-groups; electronically storing the weightings in association with segmented groups; and wherein the data entities in a first sub-group share a third common functional attribute and the data entities in a second sub-group share a fourth common functional attribute. 
 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 16 , wherein one or more sub-groups are weighted based on functional attributes; and one or more sub-groups are weighted based on non-functional attributes. 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 assigning an m-dimensional set of n-dimensional vectors to a set of data entities corresponding to elements of the functional system, wherein the n-dimensional vectors are assigned based on the functional attributes of the elements; 
 wherein the assignment of n-dimensional vectors re-organizes the groups based on their functional or non-functional attributes with respect to one or more variables within the functional system; selecting a variable to normalize with respect to the functional system; selecting a statistical property associated with normality; 
 using a statistical test to assess the relative normality of a set of segmented groups; 
 assigning a target weight to an m-dimensional set of n-dimensional vectors associated with data entities representing a segmented group; wherein the target weight modifies the divergence of the variable across n-dimensional space so as to ameliorate the normality of the segmented group, as determined by the statistical test; and 
 periodically rebalancing the data entity representing the segmented group to achieve the target weight. 
 
     
     
       19. The system of  claim 11 , wherein a plurality of data entities is represented in graphical, sequential, clustered, or networked form. 
     
     
       20. The system of  claim 11 , further comprising generating the data structure by electronically assigning functional locations in n-dimensional space to data entities associated with the elements, wherein the n dimensions are ordered based on the sequence of the set of input-output processes.